Improvement in fare-boxes



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. WHITE. Fare-Box.

No. 205,022. Patented June 18,1878

N.FETERS. FHDTO-LITHOGRAPNEH. WASHINGTON. a C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. WHITE.

Pare-B0x.

Patented June 18, 1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

JAMES E. \VHITE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FARE-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,022, dated June 18, 1878; application filed May 4,1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. YVHITE, of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Conductors Fare Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pouch constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the wall thereof being broken away to show the location and arrangement of the mechanism within when the cover or lid is secured. Fig. 2 is a plan of the upper lock-plate, showing the sealcarrier withdrawn from beneath it. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the lock. Fig. 4 is a perspective view, showing the seal-carrier detached and as containing a flat seal, such as a bit of paper and Fig. 5 is a similar view of the seal-carrier, having its lower lip or plate covered with an elastic seal, such as rubber. Fig.6 is an elevation of the registering mechanism, showing also the relative arrangement and location of other parts connected with the hinged lid. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the operating-shaft, carrying the upper and lower closing-plates, but detached from other portions of the device. Fig. 8 is an elevation, showing the essential elements of the alarm or striking mechanism.

Like letters in all the figures indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has relation to that class of devices intended to be used on railways and in other situations to receive tickets and fares or other evidences of the payment of moneys; and its object is to so improve upon former styles of boxes or pouches as that any tampering with the lock may be detected, the number of fares be registered, an alarm sounded at the time the fare is deposited, one fare be deposited in the receptacle before another can be admitted to the opening, and the whole be made easy and convenient to be worn upon. the person of the conductor or other person receiving the tickets, &c.

To accomplish all of this the invention consists in certain novel arrangements or combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

The receptacle A, into which the tickets are dropped, is made of flexible material, such as leather, and is in appearance very like an ordinary hand-bag, being easier to be carried than the wooden or metallic boxes heretofore ordinarily used, and, since the registering and other mechanism is concealed within the bag, being more desirable for conductors use. It should be provided with suitable straps, one to go over the shoulder of the wearer, and one about the waist; for if it be turned bottom upward, as might otherwise occur, the detecter would be unseate'd, and an erroneous indication thereby produced.

To detect any tampering with the look, I insert a seal-carrier, a, beneath the upper plate thereof. This carrier is composed of two plates, which are forced toward each other when properly seated, and they may thus be made to clamp the seal, preventing any possibility of its being withdrawn through the keyhole.

The seal I) may be of paper, upon which any initials or characters have been written and since it is held in the manner indicated, it cannot be withdrawn, nor can a key be inserted in the lock, without destroying or tearing the paper.

The seal 1) (shown at Fig. 5) is preferable to the paper seal. It is of thin elastic tubing, such as rubber, and is stretched over the lower plate of the carrier. Being made of rubber or like elastic material, it will not be affected by moisture, and consequently is more advantageous than the paper. It may be printed or writ-ten upon, same as the other. To place a number of these seals, a pair of wire tongs may be conveniently used to stretch them properly.

All the operating parts are attached to the hinged lid or cover B, which fully closes the mouth of the bag A, and consequently they move with said cover.

Upon some convenient portion of the works within I locate the vertical detecter-pocket c, which is a simple lug, having a vertical hole therein. In this I place the headed pin 0,

which, being easily movable in said pocket, will drop out whenever the cover is tilted, as in the act of opening the pouch, and thus me- I chanically indicate whether or not the cover has been lifted. The pin 0 being in the shape of a cylinder, it would be impossible to roll it back to its place in case an attempt be made to open the lid without success, as might be done with the spherical balls or shot heretofore used for a similar purpose.

When the pouch is properly closed, locked, and sealed the tickets are to be passed through an opening in the lid, from whence they pass through a vertical tube, and finally emerge through the lower mouth thereof. A convenient form of ticket is described in my patent of September 11, 1877. This form is deemed most desirable; but any style may be used.

The upper and lower mouths of the receiving-tube are closed, respectively, by the plates 0 and D, which are rigidly connected with the shaft E, and so located thereon as to cover one mouth, while the other is open, substantially as explained in my aforesaid patent.

The shaft E is governed by a spring, 61, tending always to bring plate 0 over the upper opening. A projection upon E, as at e, engages with a spring-latch, f, carrying this latch along as the shaft is revolved, and tripping it, and through it the hammer g, in a manner easily understood from a consideration of Figs. 7 and 8. The hammer g is thus caused to strike the bell F each time shaft E is revolved sufficiently to uncover the upper opening. This furnishes the alarm necessary to indicate that the ticket has been deposited.

Upon the lower end of the shaft is aprojection, h, which engages with or moves a springactuated plate, 17, each time that the upper mouth of the pouch is opened, and this plate i is so notched as to engage with a tooth up-' on the edge of the first of the series of numbering-wheels 7c. NVhen the shaft is allowed to return to its normal position under the action of its spring, the plate t is likewise made to assume its normal position by its actuatingspring, said plate being movable freely about its pivot I, so that it will not disturb the wheel during its returning motion.

The other wheels of the system. are advanced one notch at the proper time by a vertical pin secured at the proper point upon each wheel, save the last one; and to prevent any reverse or backward motion in the wheels, they are each stopped by a dog, with corresponding spring, as at m.

To reduce the number of wheelsin the system as far as is consistent with their capabilities of affording a registration amply large, and thereby simplifying the operation of the mechanism and diminishing the probabilities of error, I prefer to place the numbers upon the first wheel from one to twenty instead of from one to ten, as has been ordinarily done. Upon the second wheel, then, the numbers differ by twenty units, commencing with the number twenty and ending with three hundred and eighty. The third wheel is numbered from four hundred up to eight thousand, the numbers differing by four hundred units.

Of course, the box containing the wheels is to be covered by a suitable plate, (not shown,) and this plate is so perforated as to exhibit the condition or location of the wheels within, affording means for reading off the number indicated by the machine. After registering eight thousand the zeros appear on all the wheels beneath the openings in the covering plate, and the mechanism then registers from one up to eight thousand again, in a manner easily understood from Fig. 6. Under the old systems of registering-wheels, to indicate so large a number would require no less than four numbering-wheels.

When the whole device is constructed and arranged substantially as above indicated, and as shown in the drawings, it is found tobe accurate and reliable, and to admirably answer the several purposes for which it is intended. I

The special construction of the seal-lock and the peculiar arrangement of registerin g-wheels I intend to make the subject of separate applications for patents, the description of said devices being herein introduced for the purpose of clearly indicating the manner in which the improved pouch is to be used and operated.

Having thus fully described my invention, I desire to claim as new and secure by Letters Patent- 1. In combination with a flexible pouch or bag intended to be worn upon the person of the conductor, a hinged lid closing the mouth of said bag, and carrying a register and alarm. mechanism and appliances, substantially as specified, for indicating any attempt to open the bag, for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with a registering and alarm mechanism, attached to and movable with the lid which closes the mouth of a conductors pouch, the cylindrical pin detecter, adapted to be displaced from its seat or pocket whenever the lid is opened, as and for the purposes explained.

' 3. In combination with the perforated and hinged lid of a conductors pouch, a shaft carryin g the upper and lower covers and lugs for operating the alarm and the registering mechanism, the arrangement being substantially such as described, so that no ticket can be inserted until the preceding one has been deposited, the alarm sounded, and the registering mechanism advanced one unit, for the purposes explained.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. WHITE.

Witnesses W. H. DICKS, PowEL OROsLEY. 

